30 Days & 30 Songs
by Lady Dudley
Summary: My entry for the 30 Day Song-fic Challenge. Mostly M/J but I will probably do a couple with different characters  or ambiguous pairings
1. Day One

**A/N: I was going to wait until the start of August, but everyone else is doing such a fabulous job that I couldn't wait! So here is Day One of the Song-fic Challenge: Your Favourite Song. I chose "Life Could Be A Dream" by the Crew-cuts because it was the first one to pop into my head - so hard to choose! Hope you enjoy!  
><strong>

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.  
><strong>

**Day One:_ Life Could Be A Dream_**_  
><em>

_Life could be a dream  
>If only all my precious plans would come true<br>If you would let me spend my whole life loving you  
>Life could be a dream sweetheart<em>

Jackie smiled as she looked out the kitchen window and caught sight of her children playing in the backyard.

She started slightly as a bunch of flowers appeared in front of her and someone wrapped their arms around her waist from behind.

"You're home early," she said, relaxing into her husband's embrace.

"It was a slow day at work," he replied, dropping a kiss on her shoulder.

"What are the flowers for?" she asked, taking them from his hand.

"Must I have a reason to bring flowers home to my beautiful wife?" he asked, giving her a little squeeze.

Jackie smiled, "No."

The sound of a teaspoon clattering to the floor broke Jackie from her daydream and she found herself in the police canteen, nursing a cup of coffee.

It took her a moment to readjust and she quickly turned her attention back to file she had been reading over lunch.

She took a sip of her coffee and cursed quietly at how cold it was: that would teach her not to daydream during her lunch break.

...

**PS: I'm pretty hopeless when it comes to reviewing, so I apologise if I don't always leave a review, but I am enjoying reading the other entries!**_  
><em>


	2. Day Two

**A/N: So far so good - up to Day Two: Your Least Favourite Song. For this one I used "In The Ghetto" by Elvis. I'm not entirely sure why but I never warmed to this song...**

**Day Two:**_** In The Ghetto**_

…  
><em>Then one night in desperation<br>a young man breaks away  
>He buys a gun, steals a car,<br>tries to run, but he don't get far  
>And his mama cries<em>  
>…<p>

"_Do you have children?"_

Four words, four simple words, but somehow they always seemed like a smack in the face.

No matter how hard she tried to sympathise with the parents who'd lost their children it always came down to this question.

And her answer always made the words and sympathy seem hollow: she had no idea what they were feeling.

So when the latest mother – a single woman whose son had gone off the rails – had asked her that question, all she could do was shake her head and watch for the look of contempt for her and her sympathy wash over her face.

A look she could never understand: just because she didn't understand their particular pain, didn't mean she didn't understand pain.


	3. Day Three

**A/N: Day Three - A Song That Makes You Happy. This time I chose "'S Wonderful" by George Gershwin because it always makes me smile :) Thank you so much for the lovely reviews for my last entry, I'm about to rush off but I promise I will try and respond to you all once I get back!**

**Day Three: _'S Wonderful_  
><strong>

…_  
>'S wonderful! 'S marvellous!<br>That you should care for me!  
><em>…

For the first time in his life Michael felt like he understood how Gene Kelly must have felt in _Singing In The Rain_ when he went dancing down the street.

In fact, he only just restrained himself for doing the same thing: she had said yes.

After all that time wondering and thinking and planning and…just generally wasting time he'd finally asked Jackie to marry him.

And she'd said yes.

Yes!

Michael shook his head in disbelief. He didn't know what he'd done to deserve her, but he planned on spending the rest of his life making sure she never regretted her decision.


	4. Day Four

**A/N: Day Four - A Song That Makes You Sad. I chose "Remember" by Josh Groban (with Tanja Tzarovska) from _Troy_. I am also very sorry I didn't have time when I got home yesterday to reply to everyone, but I'm pleased you're still enjoying these. Hope this one doesn't disappoint.**

**Day Four: _Remember_**

…  
><em>Remember, I will still be here,<br>As long as you hold me, in your memory,  
>Remember me<em>  
>…<p>

Jean had always thought that the worst part of losing Jim would be the loneliness.

She had often been alone during the day, so that aspect of her life took very little getting used to, but the evenings she was sure would be difficult.

But they weren't.

Not that they were easy either, but she soon found that the worst part about losing Jim was her fear of forgetting him.

Forgetting the half smile she had always loved, forgetting how he laughed or the timbre of his voice, forgetting his moments of gentleness, of quiet affection.

_That_ was the worst part of losing him. Because if she forgot all of those things then he truly would be gone.


	5. Day Five

**A/N: Day Five - A Song That Reminds You Of Someone. For this I chose No Doubt's "Don't Speak," I'm not sure that I really like how this turned out but it's based around "Death Trap."**

**Day Five: _Don't Speak_**

…  
><em>It looks as though you're letting go<br>And if it's real  
>Well I don't want to know<em>  
>…<p>

If he were brutally honest with himself he would admit that deep down he had always known, but that didn't make it any less painful.

He had never been able to believe his good luck in winning a woman like Jackie. She was – is – so beautiful, brave and smart.

The problem was that she was never _his_.

Oh, he was the one who put a ring on her finger but she had always belonged to someone else.

Always.

Then he had died.

Everything had unravelled after that, instead of making a fresh start as he had hoped, she withdrew even further from him: chained to his memory and grieving in a way that he couldn't understand.

Brian was losing his wife to a dead man and there was nothing he could do to stop it.


	6. Day Six

**A/N: Firstly I must apologise for not posting yesterday but I was sick. Secondly, I know this is short but I wasn't especially inspired for this one. Anyways: Day Six - A Song That Reminds You Of Somewhere. I chose "Kokomo" by the Beach Boys :)**

**Day Six: _Kokomo_  
><strong>

…  
><em>Everybody knows<br>A little place like Kokomo  
>Now if you wanna go<br>And get away from it all  
>Go down to Kokomo<em>  
>…<p>

Jackie smiled to herself as she lazily opened one eye and caught sight of the still sleeping Michael.

Her eyes slipped shut again as she enjoyed the stillness of the hotel room. She hadn't woken up to this much peace and quiet in a very long time.

She smiled again as she snuggled closer to her husband.

Although her mother's heart worried about how her kids were going, visiting 'their' place was the best birthday present she'd gotten in a long time.


	7. Day Seven

**A/N: Day Seven - A Song That Reminds You Of A Certain Event. I chose "We Are The Champions" by Queen. Just so you know, I'm not sure whether for this Michael and Jimmy have been to a match or if Jimmy was actually playing...I couldn't quite decide :) **

**Day Seven: _We Are The Champions_**

…  
><em>We are the champions<br>We are the champions  
>No time for losers<br>'Cause we are the champions - of the world_  
>…<p>

"Yahoo!"

Nerys started at the shout from outside; followed by a door slamming and she braced himself for the entrance of her older brother.

"We did it!" eight year old Jimmy exclaimed, bouncing into the room. "We won, Nerys, we _won_!" he continued excitedly.

"That's great, I'm very happy for you," Nerys responded calmly, turning back to the doll she'd been playing with.

Jimmy regarded her for a few moments before the front door opened and Michael stepped in. "Jimmy, let's go tell your mother," Michael said, his own face lit up with pride and excitement.

Nerys watched her brother scamper off after their father and shook her head. She would never understand the male obsession with football.


	8. Day Eight

**A/N: Day Eight - A Song You Know All The Words To. I chose "The Pushbike Song" :) Hope you enjoy! x**

**Day Eight: _The Pushbike Song_**

…  
><em>You looked so pretty<br>As you were ridin' along  
>You looked so pretty<br>As you were singin' this song_  
>…<p>

"_Round, round wheels going round, round, round  
>Down up pedals, down up down…"<em>

Michael followed the voice of his youngest daughter to the backyard, the sight that greeted him made him stop in his tracks.

"Daddy! Look at me!" Ebony cried as she whizzed passed on her bike – now without training wheels.

He watched her go, still a little stunned, and caught Jackie's gaze.

"When did this happen?" he asked, taking a seat next to her on the back porch.

"Today she decided she was going to do it," Jackie said, smiling as she watched her ride, streamers and pigtails floating in the breeze.

"I had to run behind her for miles holding onto her seat, what did you _do_?" he asked.

Jackie just shrugged, "I'm just _good_," she teased.

"Oh, that's it is it?" he asked sounding a little sarcastic.

Jackie giggled, "At least you don't have to run with her anymore," she told him.

Michael gave her a small smile as he watched Ebony keep doing laps around the yard, "She's growing up," was all he said.

Jackie took his hand and gave it a squeeze, "Maybe, but she'll always need her Daddy."

Michael gave her a grateful smile, before getting up to challenge Ebony to a race – him running and her on her bike – down to the park.


	9. Day Nine

**A/N: I am posting this a little early as I may not get the chance tomorrow. Day Nine - A Song You Can Dance To, I chose "Dancing With Myself" by Billy Idol.  
><strong>

**Day Nine: _Dancing With Myself_**

…_  
>Oh dancing with myself<br>Oh dancing with myself  
>Well there's nothing to lose<br>And there's nothing to prove  
>I'll be dancing with myself<em>  
>…<p>

Jackie let herself into Michael's apartment, she was a bit early for their dinner date but saw no harm in surprising him.

She jumped as the music volume suddenly went up a couple of levels; she followed it into the kitchen and stopped short in the doorway.

In the middle of the kitchen, slamming his air guitar, was Michael.

She watched as he continued to 'play' his guitar and dance around the kitchen, singing along (rather flamboyantly) with the lyrics.

He turned to stir something on the stove and froze when he caught sight of her watching him.

"How long have you been standing there?" he asked.

Jackie grinned, "Long enough."

"You do realise that now I have to kill you," he told her with mock seriousness.

"You mean no one can ever know that you've got the moves?" she asked, suppressing a smile as she came to join him at the stove.

"My moves are just for you," he countered.

Jackie giggled and Michael flushed as he realised what he'd said.

"Well, that's good to know," Jackie told him sweetly and kissed him.

...

**A/N: I must admit, I do rather enjoy putting Michael in embarrassing situations...**


	10. Day Ten

**A/N: Day Ten - A Song That Makes You Fall Asleep. This song doesn't exactly putting me to sleep but it is relaxing - "Everything's Alright" from _Jesus Christ Superstar_. I liked the idea of using Jim for this one :)**

**Day Ten: _Everything's Alright_**

…  
><em>Everything's alright, yes, everything's fine.<br>And we want you to sleep well tonight._  
>…<p>

Anyone who knew Jim Taggart would have been surprised, and possibly touched, if they could see him at this precise moment.

Jean, who had paused in the doorway, was certain that it would be a sight she would always remember.

Crouching down by his daughter's bed Jim was dutifully checking under it for monsters before moving over to the wardrobe to check inside.

"There," he said, returning to Alison's bedside, "no monsters, everything's alright," he assured her, tucking her in more securely as he did so.

Alison regarded him seriously, "Are you sure Daddy?"

Jim favoured her with the smile he reserved just for her, "I'm positive. I won't let anything hurt you," he promised.

Satisfied with his answer, Alison snuggled further under the covers with her favourite doll, "I love you Daddy," she said softly as he kissed her forehead.

"I love you too," he answered.

Jean smiled and paused for a moment to take in the sight of him with their daughter before making her presence known to give Alison her own good night wishes.


	11. Day Eleven

**A/N: Day Eleven - A Song From Your Favourite Band. "Let It Be" by The Beatles. I was going to use a completely different song but then saw this one and was inspired in another direction. Once again we're with Jim and Jean because I have always wondered about this part of their lives...not sure about how it turned out, but nevermind :)  
><strong>

**Day Eleven: _Let It Be_**

…  
><em>When I find myself in times of trouble<br>Mother Mary comes to me  
>Speaking words of wisdom<br>Let it be  
>And in my hour of darkness<br>She is standing right in front of me  
>Speaking words of wisdom<br>Let it be_  
>…<p>

For the first time in his life Jim Taggart felt absolutely powerless.

He sat in the hospital waiting room with his head in his hands, trying to make sense of it all: it was _supposed_ to have gone smoothly. But the moment the doctor had said the word "complications" Jim had known something terrible was going to happen.

And then it had.

For the miracle of birth that had given him his beautiful daughter, could very well rob him of his wife.

Or at the very least paralyse her for life.

The doctors assured him that they were doing everything they could to save her, but he was still worried.

How would he cope with his infant daughter if she were to die? How would he cope with the guilt for what happened to her if she survived?

At the very moment that he was about to disappear into the dark void of despair the doctor came to tell him the news: Jean was out of danger, but she was paralysed.

And in the end that was all that mattered: Jean was alive and they had a healthy baby daughter.

They would deal with everything else together as they always had and always would.


	12. Day Twelve

**A/N: Day Twelve - A Song From A Band You Hate. I chose "MMMBop" by Hansen, sorry to any Hansen lovers out there but I can not stand them. Anyways, hope you enjoy this little offering :)**

**Day Twelve: _MMMBop_**

…  
><em>Mmmbop, ba duba dop<br>Ba du bop, ba duba dop  
>Ba du bop, ba duba dop<br>Ba du  
>Yeah<em>  
>…<p>

"_Mmmbop, ba duba dop  
>Ba du bop, Ba du dop<br>Ba du bop, Ba du dop  
>Ba du<br>Yeah…"_

Jackie was going to kill him.

If Robbie didn't stop singing that _stupid_ song soon, she was just going to reach over the desk and throttle him.

She narrowed her eyes as he continued to bop along whilst reading a file, oblivious to the dark looks he was receiving from both her and Stuart.

She was just working out the intricacies of her momentary insanity plea, when the singing suddenly stopped.

She looked up to find Robbie rubbing the back of his head and glaring at Stuart who was innocently regarding something on his computer screen.

Jackie caught sight of the, rather hefty, paper ball that rested on the desk in front of Robbie and grinned.

It looked like she wouldn't need that insanity plea after all.


	13. Day Thirteen

**A/N: Well, I can't sleep so I figured I may as well post this. Day Thirteen - A Song That Is A Guilty Pleasure. I chose "Fairy Dancing Girl" by The Fairies. It's a kids song for those of you who may not know, that I rather enjoy (but would hate to admit! :P). This makes reference to Chapter/Day Nine and I see the 'song-for-the-day' being the one in the story. Hope you enjoy!**

**Day Thirteen: _Fairy Dancing Girl_**

…  
><em>I am, yes I am, a fairy dancing girl<br>Oh yeah, oh yeah  
>And I dance, dance, dance, dance, dance…!<em>  
>…<p>

"Like father, like son."

This phrase had been used in reference to Jimmy Jardine on more than one occasion: like his father he was responsible, honest and trustworthy. His mother had other, less desirable, traits that she used to add to the list, but these were the ones most cited.

It was also mostly for this reason that Jackie had no qualms in leaving the twelve year old in charge of his five year old sister as she popped out for a moment.

She would never be entirely sure what power it was that Ebony had over her older brother, but upon her return Jackie was able to add one further way that Jimmy was like his father to the list.

Now sporting a tiara and holding a magic wand, she found him dancing around the room with his sister, who was dressed as a fairy.

He stopped the moment he caught sight of her in the doorway.

Jackie bit her lip as she resisted the urge to laugh, both at what she had witnessed and at how much he resembled his father.

"You realise that now I have to kill you."

Jackie could never be sure whether those words had been directed at her or his sister, but they caused her to lose her tenuous control on her laughter.

When it came to saving face it seemed that the Jardine men weren't very original in their threats.

Jimmy watched in dismay as his mother continued to laugh and wondered (much like his father had years earlier) whether he would ever live this one down.


	14. Day Fourteen

**A/N: Day Fourteen - A Song That No One Would Expect You To Love. This was pretty hard to choose as my taste in music is all over the place, but I remember a good friend of mine being shocked I liked Linkin Park so I chose one of their songs: "Easier To Run." This one is a little bit darker than any of the other chapters I have submitted so far and I realised later is very similar to Becket's backstory in _Castle_, which wasn't on purpose. Hope you enjoy!**

**Day Fourteen: _Easier To Run_  
><strong>

…  
><em>Something has been taken from deep inside of me<br>The secret I've kept locked away no one can ever see  
>Wounds so deep they never show they never go away<br>Like moving pictures in my head for years and years they've played_  
>…<p>

There were days when he couldn't decide what was worse: living with the pain or pretending that it did not exist.

He had always hoped that the pain would dissipate as time went on, but he wasn't that lucky. Although some days were undoubtedly better than others, the pain was always there.

On the other hand, pretending that it did not exist, ignoring the pain and trying to soldier on always felt like a betrayal. As though by pretending it did not hurt, but not sharing his pain with anyone, he was denying that she had ever existed.

Denying that he had ever loved her.

Because he had; he had loved her more than anything or anyone in his life before or since.

And he had lost her.

She had been at the wrong place at the wrong time and cruelly snatched away from him.

Her murder had been the reason that he had entered his profession in the first place, because they had never caught her killer and he just _knew_ that something had been missed. If no one else was going to solve her murder then he would.

But he had been unable to; he had reached a point where he had had to admit defeat. Ultimately he had realised that what he really wanted was to have her back, not to know the how or the why behind her murder.

It was how he lived with the knowledge that he would never know.

But he knew that others deserved to know, that their loved ones deserved justice and that was why he soldiered on with his job.

Even though it often caused him unbearable pain as he thought about the families of the victims and relived his own experience of loss.

Dr. Stephen Andrews may never have closure for his wife's murder, but he would be damned if he did not provide it for others.


	15. Day Fifteen

**A/N: Day Fifteen - A Song That Describes You. I chose "Runaway" by Avril Lavigne. This chapter links in with my other stories "Dogsbody" and "Support," but you don't need to have read them :)  
>PS: I'm glad you all seemed to enjoy the last chapter, I really wasn't sure how it would go...<strong>

**Day Fifteen: _Runaway_**

…  
><em>I just wanna scream and lose control<br>Throw my hands up and let it go  
>Forget about everything and run away, yeah<br>I just wanna fall and lose myself  
>Laughing so hard it hurts like hell<br>Forget about everything and run away, yeah_  
>…<p>

Jackie was having one of _those_ days: the kind where nothing seems to be going right and all you want to do is disappear.

The kind where you wish you'd just stayed in bed.

Or at least she had been.

Her day had suddenly and unexpectedly picked up when she opened her desk drawer to retrieve her bag and found a block of chocolate.

She fought back a smile; she _knew_ Michael had been looking suspicious when she caught him near her desk.

Unfortunately Michael was on the phone, but she caught his eye and waggled the chocolate at him. He gave her a sheepish smile which made her grin.

"Thank you," she mouthed.

His only response was to wink at her before turning his attention back to the call.

Jackie smiled as she slipped the chocolate into her bag, perhaps the day wouldn't be a complete disaster after all.


	16. Day Sixteen

**A/N: Day Sixteen - A Song You Used To Love But Now Hate. I chose Judy Garland's "Ten Pins In The Sky." This chapter will make more sense if you've read my story "Sophia" (or even "Snippets"). Hope you enjoy! :)**

…  
><em>The world will wear a new bonnet<br>daffodils on it,  
>thanks to the skies above.<br>Thunder and showers  
>wake up the flowers,<br>where there are flowers  
>there must be love.<em>

_So, laugh at raindrops, laugh at thunder,_  
><em>clouds will soon roll by.<em>  
><em>They're playing ten-pins in the sky!<em>  
>…<p>

Robbie Ross sat bolt upright in bed, a little disoriented it took him a few moments for his brain to process that he was now awake and that there was a thunderstorm raging outside. Assuming that the thunder must have woken him up, Robbie settled back down to go back to sleep.

Another peal of thunder boomed overheard and then he heard it: the terrified shriek of his daughter, "DADDY!"

Rubbing his eyes, Robbie sat up, realising that it must have been her screams that had woken him up. Putting his slippers on and wrapping his robe around him, Robbie sleepily made his way down to his daughter's bedroom.

Snapping on the light he was confused at first that he couldn't see her, before he saw the dark curls disappearing under the covers.

"What's the matter, Princess?" he asked, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"Molly is afraid of the thunderstorm," Sophia explained, peeping over the covers with the rag-doll in question.

"Well, thunderstorms are nothing to be afraid off, Molly," Robbie explained calmly, taking the proffered doll. "It's just the angels playing ten pins in the sky," he added.

"Why do they play so _loud_?" Sophia asked as Robbie handed her back her doll.

"Well…the thunder wakes up the flowers," Robbie replied, rather pleased with the way he was answering the three-year-olds questions.

Unfortunately, Sophia still looked unconvinced and the next peal of thunder sent her scurrying under the blankets.

Robbie sighed, "Do you think Molly would feel better if the two of you slept with me tonight?"

Again her little head popped over the covers, "Really?"

"Just for tonight," Robbie stipulated.

"I think that would make her feel much better, Daddy," Sophia informed him, climbing out of bed.

A peal of thunder made her cling to his legs and, with a longsuffering sigh, Robbie scooped her up.

She was asleep before they even made it back to his bedroom.


	17. Day Seventeen

**A/N: Day Seventeen - A Song You Hear Often On The Radio. I chose "Murder On The Dance Floor" by Sophie Ellis Bextor. This one is loosely based on a scene in the _Spirited_ episode "Wake Up Little Suzy." The characters are completely up to you. Hope you enjoy :)**

…  
><em>Don't think you'll get away<br>I will prove you wrong  
>I'll take you all away<br>Boy just come along_  
>…<p>

He was pretty sure that he would always remember the day that he discovered she was ticklish.

For some reason that he could no longer remember, they had all gone out to a club to celebrate solving their latest murder.

He'd been quite content to sit and nurse his drink as he watched her dance, but she'd had other ideas.

Shimmying over to him she'd taken his drink out his hands and pulled him to his feet, "Dance with me," she ordered, pulling him back to the dance floor with her.

He'd gone along willingly enough, trying to ignore the others at the table watching them.

Then it had happened: she'd wrapped her arms around his neck; his had then instinctively encircled her waist.

Her movements had been unexpected enough, what he had been totally unprepared for was her dissolving into giggles when he'd tightened his hold on her.

"You're ticklish," was all he'd been able to say, a devilish grin playing on his features as he tickled her further.

Laughing she'd tried to break away from his hold, but he'd had none of it.

And that would not be the only thing he would learn about her that particular night.


	18. Day Eighteen

**A/N: Day Eighteen - A Song That You Wish You Heard On The Radio. I chose "Only You" by Sinead O'Conner (a.k.a. the love theme from _The Young Victoria_). Hope you like! :)**

**Day Eighteen: _Only You_  
><strong>

…  
><em>In your faith I trust<br>With you beside me I am standing strong  
>[...]<em>  
><em>Forever true there's only me<em>  
><em>And only you<em>  
><em>Only me and you<em>  
>…<p>

After Gemma had broken his heart Michael had sworn that he would never let another woman get that close to him.

Then he'd met Jackie.

She was beautiful, funny and smart. They had quickly struck up a friendship and it was quickly becoming something much, _much_ more to him.

Then Gemma had re-entered his life and he'd found himself committing the same mistake on a much grander scale.

This time he came out of it swearing not to trust _anyone_.

But Jackie had still been there: his silent support, his closest friend.

It took him years – and a string of failed romances – before he'd finally realised what he should have seen right from the beginning: once he'd met Jackie it had always been her.

She had always been the one who was there for him, the one who understood, the one he trusted…the one he loved.

And now, finally, she was _the_ one.

The _only_ one, like she always had been.


	19. Day Nineteen

**A/N: Day Nineteen - A Song From Your Favourite Album. I chose "Gasoline & Matches" by Buddy and Julie Miller from my _True Blood_ Series 2 Soundtrack.  
>Warning: This has basically nothing to do with the song beyond the title! Hope you enjoy :)<strong>

**Day Nineteen: _Gasoline & Matches_  
><strong>

…  
><em>You and me are gasoline and matches<em>  
>…<p>

He was never entirely sure how he managed to get himself into these situations, as they always ended up badly: once again he'd followed one of his older brother's hair-brained schemes and once again they were in trouble.

But this time it had definitely been worth it.

He listened with half an ear to his mother's lecture about how dangerous and stupid their latest escapade had been as he pondered how great their rocket had looked on its abortive flight.

The ensuing explosion that left both boys covered in soot with hairstyles that would have made Albert Einstein proud, not to mention a small crater in the backyard, had not been part of the plan.

But it had been _awesome_.

"Michael Jardine, are you even listening to me?" he mother demanded.

Michael had the grace to look guilty as he looked up at his mother, "…Yes?"

Alice Jardine narrowed her eyes suspiciously as she regarded her second eldest son; she expected this sort of thing from David but Michael usually had more sense.

Or at least was more reticent afterwards.

She should have remembered that he _was_ still a boy and therefore still prone to think that the explosion was something amazing.

Which, she had to admit, it kind of had been.

...

**A/N: For those of you who may not be aware the family I have created for Michael, I see Alice as being Helen Mirren and his older brother David (obviously when he's older) as Nathan Fillion (I also gave him a sister, Meg, who I see as Lisa McCune, plus there's obviously Ian from the series)**.


	20. Day Twenty

**A/N: Day Twenty - A Song You Listen To When You're Angry. Well, there are quite a few :P Haha, but I chose "Diamonds Are Forever" by Shirley Bassey (mostly because I could actually think of something to write for that one). Hope you enjoy :)  
><span>Warning:<span> If I did it right, this one is sad!**

**Day Twenty: _Diamonds Are Forever_**

…  
><em>I don't need love,<br>For what good will love do me?  
>Diamonds never lie to me,<br>For when love's gone,  
>They'll lustre on.<em>  
>…<p>

She regarded the small velvet box in silence.

Inside was a diamond ring, one that she had been only too happy to accept only days before.

The moment when he had pulled out the ring and asked her to marry him had been the happiest of her life, now the memory only brought on a fresh bout of tears.

All her dreams, all her hopes, all her love…now meant nothing.

One stupid car accident…and he was gone.

She opened the box with trembling fingers and regarded the ring inside; the symbol of a promise that would now no longer come true.

Her vision blurred and she blindly closed the lid and set the box aside.

She barely acknowledged when someone entered her room, but she recognised her father's aftershave as he pulled her into his lap.

She snuggled into his comforting embrace gratefully, clinging to him as she sobbed her heart out.

Unsure of what else to do, Michael held Katrina tighter and let her cry.


	21. Day TwentyOne

**A/N: Day Twenty-One - A Song You Listen To When You're Happy. I chose "The Wanderer" by Dion. Rest assured, this chapter's much more cheerful than the last one :P**

**Day Twenty-One: _The Wanderer_**

…  
><em>Oh well, I'm the type of guy who will never settle down<br>Where pretty girls are well, you know that I'm around  
>I kiss 'em and I love 'em 'cause to me they're all the same<br>I hug 'em and I squeeze 'em they don't even know my name_

_They call me the wanderer_  
><em>Yeah, the wanderer<em>  
><em>I roam around, around, around<em>  
>...<p>

In the back of his mind it occurred to Robbie that "The Wanderer" was probably not the most appropriate song for him to be singing to one year old Sophia. But he couldn't help it; it had been almost like his theme song for so long that a part of him couldn't let it go.

Not to mention the fact that the tune was just perfect for dancing around the kitchen with her, which he was in the process of doing.

"_Oh well, there's Flo on my left and there's Mary on my right  
>And Janie is the girl that I'll be with tonight<br>And when she asks me, which one I love the best?  
>I tear open my shirt I got <em>Sophia_ on my chest_…"

Robbie smiled as Sophia giggled at the mention of her name and he continued to dance around the kitchen, making her laugh.

"_They call me the wanderer  
>Yeah, the wanderer<br>I roam around, around, around…_"

It wasn't until years later that Sophia discovered that her name wasn't in the song at all, but the discovery only served to make the memories of dancing to 'their' song with her father all the more precious.


	22. Day TwentyTwo

**A/N: Day Twenty-Two - A Song You Listen To When You're Sad. I chose "On My Own" from _Les Miserables_. This one is loosely based around the episode "Mind Over Matter," I'm not sure how I feel about it. I hope it works.**

**Day Twenty-Two: _On My Own_**

…  
><em>And now I'm all alone again nowhere to turn, no one to go to<br>Without a home without a friend without a face to say hello to  
>And now the night is near<br>Now I can make believe he's here_

_Sometimes I walk alone at night_  
><em>When everybody else is sleeping<em>  
><em>I think of him and then I'm happy<em>  
><em>With the company I'm keeping<em>  
><em>The city goes to bed<em>  
><em>And I can live inside my head<em>  
>…<p>

Jackie left the station without a second glance.

She needed to get out, to clear her head and so she did in the only way she knew how: walking through the darkened streets.

She had first taken this habit up when Michael had died, when she used to walk along the banks of the Clyde in an effort to feel close to him.

Then she started to think about what he would say if he were alive and she'd smiled as she imagined him berating her for walking in such a remote place on her own.

So she'd started to walk the city streets instead, sometimes she would think through the events of the day or work through some of the evidence on their latest case.

But mostly she would imagine that she was walking with Michael and would have long imaginary conversations with him: about the case, about her life…about everything and nothing.

Just like they used to.

Her therapist was the only person she'd ever told about this new nocturnal habit of hers, but far from being worried (as she'd been half afraid she would be) her therapist had instead thought it was good for her.

Although she had eventually hinted that she would need to find someone else, someone _alive_, whom she trusted enough to talk to.

That had been when Jackie had stopped going to see her: she had been coping better at work anyway and she didn't want to find anyone else.

And she wasn't quite ready to let go of Michael.

Not yet.

Maybe not ever.


	23. Day TwentyThree

**A/N: Day Twenty-Three - A Song You Want To Play At Your Wedding. I chose the "Laendler" from _The_ _Sound of Music_. I'm not sure why, I've just always loved it :)**

**Day Twenty-Three: _The Laendler_**

Even before the opening credits began to roll, Michael was regretting allowing Jackie choose the movie they would be watching that evening.

_The Sound of Music_ was not something that he would be willing to sit through for anyone else, but this was Jackie.

He still wasn't entirely sure how she did it, but Jackie was able to convince him to do almost anything.

Even things he didn't want to do.

Also because it was Jackie he managed to keep his mouth shut through most of the scenes. Although he couldn't resist teasing her during "The Lonely Goatherd" about how convenient it was that they had an orchestra hanging around the house.

It was during the scene at ball where the Captain and Maria dance the Laendler that he once again found himself unable to resist the urge to tease her.

He turned to look at her, but stopped when he caught sight of her: entranced by the scene, Jackie was making a pretty picture herself as she sat bathed in the soft glow cast by the television.

"Ah the epiphany moment, I love this scene," Jackie commented with a soft smile, still watching the couple dancing.

Michael didn't say anything, he was having an epiphany of his own.


	24. Day TwentyFour

**A/N: So wouldn't let me update this earlier, but the day isn't over yet so I'm still on time! :P Haha, anyways: Day Twenty-Four - A Song You Want To Play At Your Funeral. I chose "Weep You No More Sad Fountains" - not sure that I like this one, but nevermind :)**

**Day Twenty-Four: _Weep You No More Sad Fountains_**

…  
><em>Rest you then, rest, sad eyes,<br>Melt not in weeping  
>While she lies sleeping,<br>Softly, softly, now softly lies sleeping_  
>…<p>

Michael stood up stiffly from Jim Taggart's grave; he was in the midst of another gruelling case and had come to the cemetery to clear his head.

As he was leaving the cemetery he was surprised to see Stephen who was also visiting a grave. He was about to call out to him, but something held him back.

Instead he stepped back, behind some of the more impressive monuments, leaving Stephen to his own private musings.

Lost in his own thoughts it came almost as a surprise when Stephen started to leave.

Michael waited a few minutes after Stephen was out of sight before following him out. Unable to curb his curiosity he paused to see who Stephen had come to visit.

He froze as he read in the inscription:

_Georgia Andrews  
>1946-1970<br>Beloved wife of Stephen  
>"The morning breaks, the shadows flee"<em>

Michael tore his gaze away from the gravestone to look in the direction that Stephen had gone.

He'd had no idea, none of them did.

Michael felt a new respect for Stephen as he contemplated how much he had lost, yet how he still sought to give hope to the families of others who had lost loved ones.

He'd always known there was more to Stephen than met the eye, but he'd never imagined anything like this.


	25. Day TwentyFive

**A/N: Day Twenty-Five - A Song That Makes You Laugh. I was going to do a completely different song, but then I remembered this one: "The Tender Trap" by Frank Sinatra. I decided to use Stephen for this to give him a happier one-shot :P  
>NB: I see Georgia as looking like Rachel McAdams. <strong>

**Day Twenty-Five: _The Tender Trap_**

_You're hand in hand beneath the trees  
>And soon there's music in the breeze<br>You're acting kind of smart, until your heart just goes wap!  
>Those trees, that breeze, they're part of the tender trap<br>_…

Stephen didn't want his perfect evening with Georgia to end.

A sentiment that he knew would cause Jim Taggart to label him "a romantic sap" as he had done earlier in the day. But Stephen had seen him with Jean and knew Jim was just the same about her, just in his own way.

Georgia tugged lightly on his arm and he looked down at her, forgetting all about Jim Taggart.

"You were far away, Stephen, where were you?" she teased lightly.

"I was just thinking about something Jim said," he told her honestly.

She gave a small giggle at the thought, well aware of what Jim Taggart would have to say about their evening.

"He called me a romantic sap," Stephen continued, confirming Georgia's suspicions, "but I don't care," he added, pulling her closer to him. "If loving you makes me a sap then so be it, I love you, very much," he finished seriously, kissing her on the end of her nose.

He was amused to find that his declaration had been enough to make her speechless, a very rare occurrence, but the look in her eyes told him all he needed to know.


	26. Day TwentySix

**A/N: Day Twenty-Six - A Song That You Can Play On An Instrument. I can pick out a couple of tunes on the piano, but chose to go with "Chopsticks" by Peter Combe. Hope you enjoy :)**

**Day Twenty-Six: _Chopsticks_**

…  
><em>I play the Grand Piano practise<br>My chords and scales and arpeggios  
>So boring and it drives my family<br>Up the wall Dad says "Why don't you play-"_  
>…<p>

_Bing. Bang. BONG!_

Michael winced at the obvious mistakes as Katrina dutifully continued to practise her piano playing.

At least she was showing more dedication to her music that Jimmy had, Michael tried to console himself, and even Nerys hadn't been this interested in music.

_BONG. BONG. BONG._

This time Michael didn't wince, he just shook his head; apparently Katrina was getting frustrated again.

It was the same pattern everyday: Katrina would dutifully practise for at least half an hour, before becoming frustrated and then she would begin purposely making mistakes. Any minute now she would –

Michael smiled as he heard the catchy tune begin playing.

"Chopsticks" was the only thing he could play on the piano and he had taught Katrina how it went and now it was invariably how her practise sessions would finish.

After another fifteen minutes of playing "Chopsticks," the piano playing stopped and he heard Katrina move off to find something else to do.

Later though, once she'd had a break, Katrina would return to the piano and the cycle would start again. Piano playing had become something of a challenge and Katrina was never one to back down: she was _determined_ to be able to play.

Something he had to give her credit for.

Right now, however, he would enjoy the respite from her piano playing.


	27. Day TwentySeven

**A/N: Day Twenty-Seven - A Song You Wish You Could Play. "Swan Song" is one of my favourite classical pieces and I wish I could play it - and is the piece referred to in this chapter. I had a completely different idea for this one, but then I was writing Day Twenty-Six and this came to me instead. Hope you enjoy :)**

**Day Twenty-Seven: _Swan Song_**

Michael had never thought that this day would come, but it had.

All of the time, money and patience that they had put into her lessons had finally paid off.

Beside him Jackie was nodding along to the music, even the other children were sitting quietly as they listened to Katrina play. Robbie and Stuart had also been invited to see Katrina's performance, mostly because they'd had to sit through their fair share of practise sessions whenever they came to babysit.

Both look suitably impressed and Michael turned back to watch his daughter with barely concealed pride.

He was so proud of her for persevering with her music over the years, now she played beautifully.

There was silence as the last note sounded.

Even her siblings who'd heard her play this tune thousands of times before looked unsure how to respond.

The moment, however, was broken by Katrina herself who, with a wicked smile, started to play "Chopsticks."

Michael couldn't keep from laughing and the others soon joined him.


	28. Day TwentyEight

**A/N: Day Twenty-Eight - A Song That Makes You Feel Guilty. I found this one really hard to choose because I honestly couldn't think of one. In the end I chose "Barbie Girl" by Aqua because it sort of does, but it's a long story as to why...**

**Day Twenty-Eight: _Barbie Girl_**

…  
><em>I'm a Barbie girl in the Barbie world<br>Life in plastic, it's fantastic  
>You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere<br>Imagination, life is your creation_  
>…<p>

Michael and Jackie had long ago decided that when it came to their children's money – be that pocket money or gift money from either their birthdays or Christmas – the children could spend it as they wished (within reason).

It never ceased to amaze Michael how differently his children spent their money. Jimmy had bought toy trains and cars and was now branching out into sporting equipment. Nerys had focused mainly on dress-ups and soft toys. Whereas Katrina was a hoarder, she would save up her money for a long time and then spend it all on something she really wanted, usually a book or a toy she really wanted.

Thus it wasn't until Ebony was old enough to spend her own money that Michael had any serious qualms about what his children spent their money on.

Not that Ebony wanted to buy anything improper, it was merely that Michael did _not_ enjoy being dragged down Barbie aisle and then being forced to carry rather large, _pink_ packages.

Admittedly most of his consternation was not related to Ebony and her penchant for Barbie dolls at all, but for himself.

He only ever had to go down Barbie aisle when he had done something to upset Jackie who used it as a form of (in his opinion) cruel and unusual punishment.

It worked though: Michael never made the same mistake twice.


	29. Day TwentyNine

**A/N: Day Twenty-Nine - A Song From Your Childhood. I don't know why but I chose "Shove A Hedgehog Down Your Knickers" by Tony Robinson for this one. It's from _Maid Marian and her Merry Men_, which, if you've never seen it, is basically the children's version of _Blackadder_. Hope you enjoy :)  
><strong>

**Day Twenty-Nine: _Shove A Hedgehog Down Your Knickers_**

…  
><em>If your hedgehog's lost his nostrils<br>And his arms and kneecaps too  
>And all you've got is a piece of grot<br>You use to clean the loo  
>Don't cry your little eyes out<br>Just follow my advice  
>And do this selection of amusing things<br>And everything will turn out nice-  
><em>…

"_Shove a hedgehog down your knickers  
>You can feel it's little prickles<br>Stick an earwig in your armpit…_"

"Andrew!"

At Jackie's exclamation the singing from the backseat abruptly stopped.

"What?"

"Where did you learn that song?" Jackie demanded, trying to keep her voice calm.

"Er…I don't remember," came the hesitant reply.

"Andrew…" Jackie began in a warning tone.

The four year old sighed, "It was on this show that I was watching with Daddy."

Jackie raised her eyebrows, "With Daddy?"

Andrew nodded, "Mm-hm, Daddy said that he and Uncle David used to love it when they were young."

"Oh really?"

"Yep."

"I think I'm going to have to have a word with your father," she said, more to herself than to Andrew.

"He said you might say that if you ever caught us watching it," was Andrew's blithe comment.

Jackie just shook her head and let the subject drop. She would have words with Michael about corrupting their children later.

For now she'd just assess the damage done to her other children once she picked them up from school.

...

**A/N: I realise Michael's actually too old to have watched this when he was a kid, but nevermind... :P**


	30. Day Thirty

**A/N: Day Thirty - Your Favourite Song At This Time Last Year. I chose "Bad Things" by Jace Everett. This is meant to be the first time Jim meets Jean :) Hope you enjoy!**

**Day Thirty: _Bad Things_  
><strong>

…  
><em>I'm the kind to sit up in his room<br>Heart sick an' eyes filled up with blue  
>I don't know what you've done to me<br>But I know this much is true  
>I wanna do bad things with you<em>  
>…<p>

Jim Taggart had never been particularly interested in women.

That is not say that he didn't find them attractive, quite the opposite in fact, he'd just never found a woman that would do more than just turn his head.

Until her.

He would never be sure what first made him notice her, she was not beautiful by conventional standards but there had been something about her that drew him to her.

Then she had smiled and his heart had stopped beating.

No, she wasn't beautiful, she was _breathtaking._

From that moment onwards Jim Taggart never looked at another woman: she was his one and done.

...

**A/N: I can't believe it's now all over! Thanks for all your reviews/support I wouldn't have been able to finish this without it! :) Please let me know what you think of this final chapter and maybe let me know if you have a favourite chapter and why? x**


End file.
